Lead Singer Wanted
by Tigerdust
Summary: William and Jerry say goodbye. Pre-movie/book. PS: I Love You. M/M slash.


"We shared everything."

I hadn't lied to Holly. It had been many years since I'd seen Jerry and I hated the row he had with his parents, if only because it wasn't honest. His father and mother, God love them, never understood his gift for language properly. The finest saints sometimes miss their mark.

He still was unsure about marrying her though. A fine thing for a boy of his age to go up and commit to marriage and only have the decency to mention it in passing to the bloke he'd been holding hostage with laughter since they were old enough to terrorize the railroad tracks.

I loved Jerry like my own brother and it seemed so unfair for God to demand him back, but we can't argue with him. Jerry had always been full of a lust for life, and all his talk was just that. He respected people far too much to go beyond that, but that day he saw her everything did change.

We drank heavily until he found her, my liver still hasn't completely forgiven me for it. But God must love a good pint of Guinness because I still pack one away every now and then. In any case, there was one particular evening that I do remember, if only because it was also the night we said goodbye to our old lives and each other.

Usually, we don't drink after a set. Jerry likes to drink only a pint because he wants to keep lyrics intact so he can write them all down. He has fantastic penmanship, even on a bar napkin, but only before the fourth pint. After that, bets are off.

His bloodhound had sniffed her. Fate had lead her to the bar next door and we were sure it wasn't long before she'd be coming in our way next. And so he sat there and drank, and I along with him. Our drummer and second guitarist, God love them, aren't natural Irish. Thus, when the final call rang and she hadn't yet shown up, we carted each other back to the Kennedy barn.

It was quite natural for us to sleep in the barn after a night out. It didn't disrupt the household and we often talked honestly to each other more so than normal. I mean, other than the flowing lyrics we wrote. Some of them still bring a tear to me eye from their awfulness.

Jerry and William were two boys of nature, his mum would always say about the pair of us and it was on this night as we looked toward the stars and saying nothing that he said everything.

"When she finds me, I'll follow her back to America."

"Break up the band? You'd do that just for a girl?"

"But what a girl she is."

"And what about us, then? How will the most infamous pair in this county fare when we're down one member?"

Jerry turned away from the stars and looked at me, hand wandering on his stomach. "William, you are my best mate and dare I say my brother. But don't stop me from dreaming. I'll take you on, even being half a head taller than me."

"I wouldn't have the heart to stop you or sock you, Jerry. You know that."

He turned back towards the sky. "I know. I just want you to know that..."

"Jerry, you're not going all soft on me are you?"

"William."

"Shut up Jerry."

I can hear him snoring softly and I think, trying to watch the stars through the clouds of my tears. I don't really want him to go, and I'd be man enough to admit it. But Jerry Kennedy wants no part of hearing something that might stop him, as silly as it might sound. Oh, who am I kidding? I can be a pure coward sometimes.

I'd never properly looked at him until that moment, I suppose, because I thought that maybe he could be beautiful, or worse yet, maybe I'd just been seeing it too long. And she'd be crazy not to love the slight curl in his dark hair. The way he grins, fully and honestly, the way his breath moves. She'd be crazy not to look deep into those dark eyes and not feel what I feel for him.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not playing for the boy's team, but a healthy male relationship like ours does do some exploring. You have to know both sides before you can be committed either way. But neither of us wanted a loose woman. And we had our pick of them, I'm sure.

His dark eyes were fixed on me as he searched the stars again. I knew underneath his jeans with the rip through one knee, that blood was pumping and skin was tightening. I knew that he was lying still and the snoring was softening. I knew it wasn't fair and so did he, but neither broke the silence. This was to be the last time we'd do anything of this nature. Life has rules. This is one of them.

My fingers slipped past his belt and felt through the cloth of his boxers to the damp foreskin below the head of "little Jerry", although little I'm not sure is the best descriptive term. I began to feel veins moving with my fingertips and his teeth bit his bottom lip. This was all the reaction I needed before I moved my hand away and I flung my shirt off.

Jerry's fingers went to his zipper and his jeans slid away, revealing his favorite pair of boxers and a smiling friend loose in the cut in the fabric. I smiled and shook my head, waiting while he teased me and removed his shirt.

My hand curled around the base of his shaft, his foreskin almost lost beneath his hardness. My grin tightened just briefly enough for him to groan and lean back before searching for the right spot on my groin. He fondled my balls just briefly before his light touch came around my erect cock.

No words, only mumbled breaths, as we wanked each other. Another rule we must follow, then. I feel the spasms and jerks coming more frequently for both of us. Faces focused on the stars, I look down just briefly, my hand slick with pre-cum, before he erupts and I follow shortly. He's more smooth and cleans himself easier with his own shirt. I'll have to grab a wet rag in a few moments.

But neither let go for a few seconds more, bonded by nature and the brotherhood we feel for each other. It's only in those moments when you are naked with the one you trust most that you realize what you'll miss when one chapter ends and another begins.

Goodbye Jerry. I hope they're letting you play your guitar in heaven and I hope someday you'll need back-up.

C/N: I own nothing, but now I want to go to Ireland. If I were someone (more) famous, I'd be there already.


End file.
